LANGUAGES IN CANADA Canada's two official languages are English and French. Bilingualism in Canada is law, defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. English and French have equal status in federal courts, institutions and Parliament. The public has the right, when there exists sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French. Additionally, official language minorities are guaranteed their own schools in all provinces and territories. Although 85% of French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec, there exist sizeable Francophone populations in Ontario, Alberta, southern Manitoba, the Acadian population in the northern and southeastern parts of New Brunswick, southwestern Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and through central and western Prince Edward Island. Ontario has the largest French-speaking population outside Quebec.
The Charter of the French Language in Quebec makes French the official language in Quebec. Interestingly, New Brunswick is the only province to have a statement in its constitution stating official bilingualism. The other provinces in Canada have no official languages as such, however French is used as a language of instruction, in courts, and for other government services in addition to English. English and French are both spoken in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in the provincial legislatures, and laws are enacted in both languages. In Ontario, French maintains a semi-legal status but is not fully co-official.
Language
Percentage of Canadian's
whose mother tongues are
French, English, or Other
Canada's two official languages are English and French. Bilingualism in Canada is law, defined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. English and French have equal status in federal courts, institutions and Parliament. The public has the right, when there exists sufficient demand, to receive federal government services in either English or French. Additionally, official language minorities are guaranteed their own schools in all provinces and territories.
Although 85% of French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec, there exist sizeable Francophone populations in Ontario, Alberta, southern Manitoba, the Acadian population in the northern and southeastern parts of New Brunswick, southwestern Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and through central and western Prince Edward Island. Ontario has the largest French-speaking population outside Quebec.
The Charter of the French Language in Quebec makes French the official language in Quebec. Interestingly, New Brunswick is the only province to have a statement in its constitution stating official bilingualism. The other provinces in Canada have no official languages as such, however French is used as a language of instruction, in courts, and for other government services in addition to English. English and French are both spoken in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in the provincial legislatures, and laws are enacted in both languages. In Ontario, French maintains a semi-legal status but is not fully co-official.
whose mother tongues are
French, English, or Other
References: The information throughout this space is taken from exerpts of wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada
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